Romance'n'Royalty It just gets messed up
by mkmkmk
Summary: Do you like 'What if' questions? You're gonna love this. What if Princess Rona had a brother? What if she returned to Pupupuland with her brother? What if he fell in love with Fumu? What if she loves someone else? What if her crush went through a major age change? All right reserved, I don't own Kirby nor Hoshi no Kaabii. FINALLY FINISHED.
1. Chapter 1

**I wrote this story a year and a half ago. I found it buried deep within the depths of my Kindle Fire, and decided to publish it. LOLZ -_-'**

* * *

Meta Knight stared at his reflection in the fountain, eyes green as he was deep in thought. The Waddle Dees, as were the young servants called, scurried around behind him, preparing for the return of Princess Rona, along with the arrival of her brother. Meta Knight sensed a certain someone walking out into the courtyard, telling the disorganized Dees what to do and where to go. His golden gaze immediately went to her. Only fifteen yet, seemed so much older as she directed a lost waddle dee to his correct area.

Fumu.

Oh, how beautiful she looked in her lily pink dress! How her long shimmering hair cascaded down her back like a pale gold waterfall! He tore his amber eyes away from her when she turned so that he was in her line of sight. Blushing, he stepped off the fountain ledge and walked into the castle, his navy blue cape swirling around behind him.

* * *

**(Rona's POV)**

I could hardly wait. Soon my family's ship would land on the roof of Dedede's castle. My brother, Orion, would finally be able to meet the heroes of the universe, and he might meet the girl of his dreams. Ever since I showed him a picture of Fumu, he's just been going all crazy about her. But I do doubt her falling in love with him. He's just too... snobby and just not her type. I sighed. Just a seven more hours...

* * *

**(Meta Knight's POV)**

I drifted through the hallways, my armored boots not making a single sound as I turned yet another corner of the maze-like corridors of the castle. My eyes were forest green, as I was deep in thought. My thoughts center around one thing, a person, to be more precise. Fumu. It frustrated me so much to know that I have fallen for her, a mere child compared to me! How did she capture me? Even when my age surpassed hers so greatly, she had still caught my eye. How does she make my heart race, with a simple smile? My eyes turned purple frustration, curiosity, and confusion. I sighed. I have never been good with accepting my emotions,not ever since I was a small boy. My pondering was interrupted by someone coming down the hall behind me.

Loud and heavy footsteps echoed off the walls and sounded like they were coming to me. I didn't even have to think to know who it was. "Yo! Meta Knight!", the obese "king" shouted. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, your majesty?" I sensed him grinning behind my cloaked appearance, I myself still not turning around. Little did I know, that this would probably be my worst or my best mistake...

"Say 'cheese', Metal Head."

* * *

**(Narrator)**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A cry of pain, which sounded like someone getting stabbed, obliterated the excited moment of preparation for the arrival of the Princess and Prince of Pipi. All the Waddle Dees dropped whatever they were carrying, Sword and Blade flinched at the sound they have heard only once before, Fumu dropped her clipboard, and Kirby was rudely awakened from his nap when Bun accidentally kicked him as he fell off the couch. Everyone who heard the scream immediately ran to the source. Nothing was there. Everyone found this extremely odd.

Sword and Blade went back to helping the Waddle Dees decorate the hallways of the immense castle, while thinking about why that scream sounded so familiar, along with Bun and Kirby, who were thinking about food and if someone had just died. Fumu walked back to her abandoned clipboard, picking it up and brushing off grass and dirt that clung to the paper. Deep in thought, she went into the castle.

* * *

**(Meta Knight's POV)**

Pain. All I felt was that. And all I heard was that... Laughter... Dedede. Damn him. Damn him to the fiery pits of Hell. I felt my body change, bones breaking, reshaping, fixing. But the pain. So much hurt. The only thing I saw before blacking out was a white glow covering my body and his ugly pale face as he effortlessly slung my, practically useless at the moment, body over his shoulder and run down the hall.

* * *

**(Narrator)**

Fumu walked down the brightly lit hallways of the castle, checking things off her clipboard. "Lights. Check. Music. Check," she mumbled as she crossed off an item on her clipboard, "What's that?" Out of the corner of her eye, Fumu caught sight of a dark purple star, that looked somewhat like Kirby's Warpstar, but had jagged edges and faint purple wisps of smoke floating around it. Curious, she carefully picked it up and studied it. It glowed faintly at her touch.

"What's a Shadow Star doing in the middle of the hallway?" Fumu mused. She slipped the star into a hidden pocket in her dress, and continued walking. She heard a sound, like metal dragging against stone. Following the sound, she came to a stop in front of a red metal door. "Huh?", she whispered to herself. She silently pushed open the door and poked her head inside. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Meta Knight?

Unconscious?

And... Dedede with a gun? _"M-meta Knight",_ Fumu repeated in her mind, worry for the knight exploding inside her, _"What happened to him?"_ The Meta Knight she saw was not only unconscious, but seemed different than before. Shorter? She didn't know. Five strong pairs of arms grabbed Fumu, covering her mouth as she tried to scream.

"Hey there girleh. Like what I did to your boyfriend?," Dedede cackled, flicking Meta Knight on the ear, "He's a kid now! How many years older than you? Two? Good thing for me is... he's weaker now!" He propped the helpless knight against the wall.

"Tie them up," he commanded the Waddle Dees that had grabbed the frightened girl. They did so, then gagged her so she couldn't speak, then moved onto Meta Knight, winding metal chains around him. Dedede rubbed his hands together, cackling madly. "Finally! Now that I've gotten you and Metal Head out of the way, I can destroy that pesky pink pain in the ass! AND NO ONE'S GONNA STOP ME!"

Dedede thought for a moment, then smiled evily. "One more thing", he murmured, stomping over to Meta Knight, who seemed to be gaining consciousness. Dedede snatched the knight's mask from his face, and gasped, dropping both the ray gun and the piece of metal. The ray gun disappeared in a poof of smoke. The Waddle Dees gasped as well, and let go of Fumu, who took to staring at Meta Knight's revealed face instead of taking the rare opportunity to escape.

"What the fuck", Dedede muttered. Meta Knight groaned, making everyone in the room flinch. He opened his eyes and everyone, besides him, gasped again. His eyes were gorgeous. They were big and round like a child's, gleaming with curiosity and child-like innocence. They were a sparkling grey-ish silver, the stars in his pupils winked adorably at the bewildered audience. Now that he didn't have his mask, he looked... different, harmless, childish. His face itself was handsome, due to those chiseled lips, dainty nose, framed by his long jagged dark blue hair,but those eyes. Fumu felt a fluttering feeling inside her stomach.

Of course, she had grown to be close friends with the knight, and she knew she was attracted to him, but those feelings burst forth, filling her mind and heart. She now had flat-out major crush on him. She hoped she could keep her cool whenever she did so much as to talk with him. Meta Knight blinked, clearly oblivious to the fact that his mask was missing. His innocent gaze landed on the evil and stupid "king" standing in front of him, and immediately his brow furrowed and his gaze turned an angry death red.

"You...", he hissed, his voice slightly higher than before, but it was just barely noticeable. Sensing danger, the Waddle Dees scurried out the door, shutting it behind them. Dedede stepped back, at first scared, but upon realizing that Meta Knight was still tied up, he smirked and laughed.

"Silly boy! You can't do anything to me!", he gafawed, smacking his forehead. Meta Knight's eyes turned dark purple, the same color as the Shadow Star. Within the folds of her dress, Fumu felt the star shift in her pocket. Realizing that the star must've been Meta Knight's, she took it out of her pocket using her teeth. It floated from her mouth, and as quick as lightning, it zipped across the knight's binds, cutting them and setting Meta Knight free. He stood up and brushed off the chains that had bound him, as if they were nothing.

Dedede merely gaped at what the hell just happened. Meta Knight stared him down, his piercing red glare making the fat "king" whimper in fear. Meta Knight grabbed Dedede's throat and brought his cape around the both of them. They disappeared right before Fumu's eyes.

* * *

**(Fumu's POV)**

I felt faint, mostly because of what I had just seen. A question I had thought and thought and thought about ever since I was eight, when I first met Meta Knight, was finally answered and was WAY different from my other conclusion. I was far, very far off. Before, I thought Meta Knight was about as emotionless as a slab of stone, but those eyes, they, they just breathed life into his entire figure. I began seeing the small things in him that I've never cared to think about before. I've never been so... awed. And... in... l-love.

* * *

** (Somewhere in da forest) **

"Lollipop! Lollipop! Oh, lolli, lolli, lolli. Lollipop! Lollipop! Oh lolli- OH MY GAWD!"

Rick leaped out of the way as a big blue and red mass, most likely thrown, rolled past him at ninety miles per hour. It hit a tree and knocked it over, but didn't have enough momentum left to continue its path of destruction. The half-human, half-hamster creature cautiously approached the unmoving and slightly burnt lump. "King Dedede?," he whispered, in shock. His hamster ears twitched.

Without another word, Rick sprinted out of the way of a jagged spike of rock shooting out of the ground, catching the fur of Dedede's coat and lifting him into the air. A figure stepped into the dim light of the forest, big leathery-looking bat wings spread behind its back, dark red eyes glowing murderously at the king. Every instinct in Rick's animal self was screaming "RUN! RUN GODDAMMIT! RUN FOR YOUR MOTHERFUCKING LIFE!" But... he didn't run. He waited. The figure was a teenaged-looking boy with red eyes and blue hair and clothes.

He silently made his way to the injured king, sheathing a golden sword and wings turning into a cape that reached down to his feet. He lifted Dedede's head so that he could look him in the eye. "If you ever mess with me again," he began, his voice soft, yet still very intimidating, "you're soul will be mine to torture." He let go of the king and disappeared in a swish of his cape.

* * *

**(Fumu's POV)**

Whoosh. My eyes shot open. Standing there, right in front of me, like a foot away from the wall I was sitting against, staring at me with the prettiest eyes in the universe, was Meta Knight. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at him. He knelt down and began to untie the ropes that held me, first taking off the gag. I blushed, as did he, for a reason I didn't know.

"Sorry. About leaving you tied up," he whispered softly, "But I was kind of... er... mad. The good thing is, is that we won't be seeing Dededumb in a while." He smiled slightly, practically making me melt. His cheeks dimpled a little when he smiled. So... hot.

"Kind of?", I asked, teasingly and somehow managing to keep my cool. He laughed quietly, revealing white teeth that sparkled like freshly fallen snow. His breath smelled of peppermint. He unbound my hands and legs as I gazed intently at his face.

"Done", he announced, standing up and offering me a hand. Of course I took it. He stood me up, and I brushed any dirt or dust off my dress. A shocked feminine voice broke the moment of silence that followed.

"SIR!?", Blade shrieked, her eyes huge and her jaw dropped, revealing her small fangs. Meta Knight turned to face his knave, who was now older the he. I slipped his mask into a fold in my dress. I was going to give it to Blade, because I made a promise to her that if I ever get my hands on his mask, that I'd do my best to give it to her.

"I can explain everything", he began.

"Okay... Why do you look younger?" Then her eyes widened even more. "Wait you two didn't-"

"NO!", Meta Knight said loudly, his face reddening. I was confused. What are they talking about? Wait... Oh, God. My face turned completely red, and my eyes open wide. Blade glanced at me.

"Uh... sir, I think she's going to have a bloody nose." He turned his head, his eyes meeting mine.

* * *

**(Meta Knight's POV)**

"U-u-uh... Meta Knight? She doesn't really think that..." Fumu gulped. My face turned even redder. I ducked my head to hide my embarrassed blush. Blade snickered. "I feel faint", Fumu muttered, stumbling slightly as she walked towards the door where Blade and I were standing. Her hair brushed against my skin, leaving behind a tingly feeling.

Blade for some odd reason smiled when Fumu walked past her. When Fumu's shimmering hair and sparkling dress were out of sight, I turned to get my mask... Wait... Where is it?

"Hey... Where's my...", I faced Blade, "mask." Standing in the hallway, waving my mask around like it was a fan, was Blade... Shit!

"I'm so sorry sir, that I have to do this, it was a dare," she said apologetically. I saw her hand grip my mask hard and...

CRACK!

My mask split in two.

* * *

**(Narrator)**

"Blade... I hereby suspend you from having any contact with any sort of unhealthy food."

"What! But sir! I can't live without junk food!"

"Too bad. You shouldn't have broken my mask." Meta Knight stalked pass the snickering girl, making his way to the castle's roof. Blade followed happily behind him, when a question arose in her mind.

"Hey sir?" She began, "you know that everyone is going to see that you are younger now, right?" He sighed.

"Yes. But it is my duty as a knight to attend the arrival of the Princess and Prince to make for the king's absence. Let everyone see what the king has done to me. That will let them know how to treat him."

"Very well." They walked up the enormous stone staircase that led up to the roof in silence. A small room opened up to them at the top, holding a ladder that led to the roof. Meta Knight climbed up first, followed by Blade, who was struggling with her dress. "These kinds of clothing are so irritating!" she muttered crossly. Sighing, Meta Knight pushed up the trapdoor above them, and pulled himself through. He helped Blade through the door, and they both took their positions next to Sword. Sword stared at his lord, who used to be about the same height as he was and was now shorter by two inches, with huge eyes.

"Sir? What happened to you?", He whispered.

"Dedede," Meta Knight replied.

"Oh."

The Cabinet Minister's family was staring at Meta Knight like he was a completely different person, except for Fumu. They started whispering at each other like mad, except for Fumu, but Escargon was speaking to Sir Parm and Lady Memu. Bun was talking to Fumu and Kirby was talking to himself. Kirby trotted over to Meta Knight, and tugged at his sleeve, Fumu walking over to stand next to Meta Knight.

"Sir Meda Kni chwange?" He asked, his big sapphire eyes watering. Meta Knight nodded.

"Dedede did this to me", he told him. Kirby sniffed. Kirby hugged the older warrior, making him flinch. Fumu smiled.

"Sowy, Kirby coulwn't pwotect you." Tears began to fall, dribbling down his cheeks like little streams. Meta Knight smiled slightly, eyes turning pink. Fumu giggled, making Meta Knight blush with embarrassment.

"It's okay Kirby. I'm not hurt." He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped Kirby's babyish face with it.

"Daw..." Practically everyone said, completely oblivious to the world around them because of this uber-cute moment. Fumu let out a short laugh, making Meta Knight blush harder. Meta Knight lightly nudged Kirby away from him when the ship finally arrived.

TWEE-OOOH-TWEE-OOOH!

Everyone looked up at the ship preparing to land. It was about two times bigger than the one Princess Rona took before. It landed, sending up a gust of wind.

TSSSSSSSSSH!

Steam hissed as the ship's entrance opened, revealing four cappy-like creatures. Three of them recognized by everyone in front of them. The King, The Queen, and Princess Rona. The fourth looked very much different than the rest of his family. His skin had a bluish tinge to it and his crimson-brown eyes glowed creepily. A mess of dark brown hair covered his head and he looked like any other teenager, not at all like Rona, or Meta Knight, who actually looked like royalty. "He looks to be about the same age as Meta Knight", Fumu thought as she studied him. He stared at her, grinning devilishly. Fumu turned to Meta Knight.

"He doesn't look at all like Princess Rona," she commented.

* * *

**(Meta Knight's POV)**

I nodded, staring at the Prince with emotionless eyes. "Indeed, he does look... different. Maybe he was adopted?" The Prince frowned at me, before turning to his sister. He whispered something to her and she turned to look at me, gasping when her eyes met mine. Her gaze shifted between Fumu and me, confusion easily seen in her body language. Her body guard, along with a few others, stepped out into the light.

"You may step forward Your Majesties." One by one each of four stepped out into the light. The King walked to face Escargon. "I am King Ashetine." He gestured to the woman next to him "This is-"

"Queen Katina," she cut in, facing her husband, "And I am very well capable of saying my own name, thank you very much." The Prince stepped forward.

"I'm Prince Orion!", he announced, puffing out his chest like he was the greatest thing in the universe, "The greatest swordsman in the galaxy."

"Oh, I BEG to differ", I muttered. Fumu giggled at my remark.

"I HEARD THAT!", the Prince shrieked. He marched up to me, pulling out a sword. I swiftly kicked it away as he started to bring it up.

"Don't even try it."

He stared at me, a surprised expression on his face. Behind them, Rona giggled. She walked up to me and smiled at the child star warrior next to me. "Hello Fumu!", Rona greeted her friend. Kirby smiled brightly at Rona.

"Wona!", he cried happily. He hugged the young princess. She laughed.

"Rona! Get out of my way! Can you not see that I'm about to challenge this freak to a duel?!" We turned our heads to the infuriated prince behind us.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm really absorbed with Mk beginnings at the moment. I'll do my best to update this as fast as I can. Also, I messed up bad in the last chapter with describing Orion and the others. I forgot to describe them as humans, but blame that on my crazy eleven year old self who had never even thought about what her favorite game character would've looked like in human form. I'm not that person anymore, trust me.**

* * *

"A duel?" Meta Knight mused, interested. Orion glared at him, then turned to Fumu and winked. She stiffened, gulping uncomfortably as she shifted closer to Meta Knight. Orion obviously noticed this, because he shot an extremely infuriated look at the knight. Fumu flinched and stepped behind Meta Knight a little, goosebumps prickling up her arms. She could tell Meta Knight was amused, even though he didn't show it.

"Yeah, a duel. You scared, Blueberry? I wouldn't be surprised if a wussy like you would back out of my challenge," he spat, smirking. Meta Knight wasn't fazed at all. He stared at Orion, making the prince fidget awkwardly. Meta Knight's lips quirked up in a small smile that made Fumu's heart jump in her chest. Rona raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged in response, blushing.

"What is the reward for the champion? And what are the consequences for the loser?" Meta Knight asked, his head tilted to the side slightly. "Not that it was the only thing on my mind. I'd love to see if what Orion says is correct, if he truly is the greatest swordsman in the galaxy." Rona's face lit up.

"May I make a suggestion for the consequences and the prize?" She asked excitedly. Orion rolled his eyes. Meta Knight smiled even more.

"Of course, Your Grace. What is your suggestion?" She cleared her throat.

"The loser must climb all the way to the top of the volcano. He will have to climb up it in less than sixty minutes, without anybody's help may I add, and if he doesn't, I will pour a drop of the hottest known hot sauce in the universe into his mouth!" She laughed, "It would be the most painful!" Meta Knight shrugged.

"I've tried that sauce before. It isn't too spicy. Jecra's tongue started bleeding though, and he was stuck in the hospital for a month after that," he said passively. Fumu's jaw dropped. Orion's eyes were a large and round as saucers. He gulped.

"It must have been very...harmful to his digestive systems," Fumu muttered. Meta Knight nodded.

"He had to eat baby food for the entirety of the month, and someone had to feed it to him. It is quite funny if you think about it. A grown man getting fed like an infant," he chuckled, "But that's Jecra for you. Always doing stupid things like that." Rona stared blankly at Meta Knight. She cleared her throat again.

"Um...and the prize will be kept secret. Agreed?" Meta Knight nodded. Orion nodded as well.

"He who is disarmed first is the loser," Queen Katina cut in. Meta Knight nodded again, as did Orion. King Ashetine put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Now remember those techniques I taught you and you'll never be beaten, especially by this one here. Okay?" He whispered into Orion's ear. Orion nodded stiffly.

"Alright, kid. Prepare to get your ass kicked," Orion taunted. Meta Knight laughed.

"You don't even know me, so how can you judge my stature?"

"Whatever." Meta Knight blinked. Rona grinned at Fumu, who gave her a look that said, _What?_

"To Kabu Canyon! Everybody grab a snack even though the fight might not be very long!" Bun shouted. They set off.

* * *

"Rona, what are you planning?" Fumu asked the princess. Rona wouldn't stop smiling since they left the castle. She glanced at her, her expression exceeding mischievousness and happiness.

"That blue one. You like him, don't you?" She asked, smiling even wider. Fumu's eyes widened. She looked away, wringing her hands.

"Uh, well...why do you want to know?" Rona giggled.

"I don't blame you. He is quite a catch isn't he?" Fumu blushed.

"Yeah, he is," she murmured dreamily. She smacked her hand against her mouth, her wide emerald eyes staring at Rona with horror. Rona looked like she was about to burst with laughter. Rona pulled a fan out of a knapsack at her side, breathing deeply while fanning herself.

"Caught you," she said after a while of performing the strange ritual over and over again. Fumu crossed her arms irritably.

"Whatever." Meta Knight looked back at them curiously, his gaze shifting between Rona and Fumu. Fumu smiled, waving at him shyly. He grinned and winked at her. Rona raised an eyebrow at Meta Knight, her expression asking him, _Seriously? _He blushed, turning forward once more. Orion glared at him, jealousy burning in his eyes.

They finally arrived at the canyon. Orion and Meta Knight took their places about twenty-five paces away from each other. Orion unsheathed his sword, smirking idiotically. "Hey kid! Like my blade? Pure gold. Sharper than any blade in the galaxy!" He boasted. Meta Knight laughed.

"Very well!" He replied with fake enthusiasm, "Do you like mine? It's made of fire, lightning AND gold!" In one smooth movement, he brought out his own sword.

Galaxia crackled with golden electricity as each crooked bolt of miniature lightning intertwined with one another to make her deadly sharp flame-shaped blade. Her flawless ruby gem shone proudly against the gleaming gold that framed its glittering red eye. Orion's mouth dropped open, gasps sounding from the crowd that had gathered themselves high above them.

* * *

High above, King Ashetine's eyes widened. "No...they...they said he was dead. No, this is impossible," he muttered in shock. Katina looked at him worriedly.

"What is it dear?" She asked, her hand on her husband's shoulder. He shook his head.

"Katina. Do you remember the story I told you of the Son of Nightmare?" She nodded.

"Yes, I remember. He saved the entire army by bringing down Nightmare's base, but unfortunately he was disappeared, along with the entire base and a single demon destroyer. What of it?"

"That is him, the blue one. He is about to duel our son, Katina! The most powerful being in the galaxy dueling our child! We must stop him from harming our son!" Katina shook her head.

"Orion challenged this boy to a duel and he accepted. The rule is disarm only, anyway. I am sure a full fledged knight would follow the rules of the said duel as he would follow the commandments of chivalry." Ashetine sighed heavily, gazing worriedly at his son.

"Very well," he mused. Katina nodded. She stepped over to the edge of the cliff.

"By royal command, this duel shall be followed by the accepted terms. He who is disarmed first, shall face the consequences. He who is the victor, shall receive an unknown prize. May the brave warriors...begin!" She called, dropping a handkerchief to the ground.

* * *

Orion glared at Meta Knight, who face remained expressionless and unfazed. Orion growled to himself. _Why isn't he scared? _Orion asked himself, _The other men that I challenged cowered in fear before me! Why not he? _Orion began to edge closer to him, hoping that he would actually do something besides stand there, silent and stony faced. He was about ten feet away now. Orion narrowed his eyes and focused on every single movement his opponent executed. But the thing was, he didn't do anything. He just stood there.

"What are you just gonna stand there like a rock or are you going to move?" Orion said mockingly. He blinked. His sword moved slightly in his hand, causing Orion to jump slightly. He snorted in disgust when the guy Fumu called Meta smirked.

"Rocks don't stand. They are inanimate objects so they cannot do anything aside from just be there," he said calmly. His calmness was really getting on Orion's nerves.

"You and she are close aren't you?" Orion growled. Meta shrugged indifferently.

"What makes you say that?" Orion huffed angrily.

"She always stays so close by your side! But listen up. She is mine, and you can't take her away from me." Meta tilted his head slightly, glancing at Orion's sword when he raised it up in a batting position.

"She belongs to no one. But she obviously chooses me over an ugly freak like you." Orion felt his body, controlled by shear rage, sprint toward Meta, his sword swinging wildly. Meta raised his sword, blocked Orion's attacks effortlessly, ducked underneath one of Orion's swings and proceeded to trip him. Orion fell, face first into the hard dirt ground. He almost let go of his sword but his fingers managed to cling onto the maroon leather hilt. Orion pushed himself off the ground, his left hand feeling his lip. There was something warm, and wet there.

_Blood._

Orion gasped and scrambled to his feet, facing Meta again. He was just standing there again, unblinkingly. Orion charged toward him again. Meta sidestepped and Orion went flying into his opponent's cape, which was held out in front of him. Meta Knight pulled it away, spinning Orion around in dizzy circles. "Olé!" he shouted, laughing. The crowd above laughed with him, commenting that watching a duel was more entertaining than Dedede on TV.

Orion fell again, the wind being knocked out of him as he hit the rocky floor of the canyon. He coughed and got up again. "Why you little son of a-" Meta swung at him before he could finish. Orion barely blocked the hit. The pure strength of Meta's attack made Orion's sword vibrate uncontrollably.

"There is no need to speak in a duel," he said, no emotion at all in his voice. He stabbed at Orion, who jumped back to a reasonably safe distance. Meta's sword began to glow. He jumped into the air and slashed at the air in front of him. The light copied his movement was sent toward Orion at a breakneck speed. Dark purple lightning crackled on its white surface. Orion, not entirely sure of what the light was, instinctively moved out of the way. The half moon of light touched the ground, leaving behind a deep crack in the earth. Orion looked up at Meta in shock.

Meta paid him no heed. His sword began to glow again and Meta sprinted forward, slashing multiple times in front of him. Red dirt and rocks made a miniature tornado around him, getting larger and larger by the second. Soon it was more than twenty feet tall. The strong winds grabbed at Orion, pulling him closer and closer to its swirling wall. Orion stabbed his sword into the ground, hoping that it would help him keep his footing. A spike rose up from the ground where Orion had embedded his sword, pushing the tip out of the hard dirt. An enormous gust of wind yanked Orion off the ground into the spinning vortex.

Rocks streaked past him, leaving cuts and bruises wherever they hit, dust choked and blinded him, leaving him coughing and spluttering for air as tears of pain streamed from his eyes. He couldn't see, breath nor hear. Then something, that felt suspiciously like a rock-hard fist, flew into his stomach and he felt a _crack. _He flew out of the tornado of dust and dirt and landed painfully of the rocky ground, the rocks protruding from the cracked earth stabbing into his back. Orion barely saw Meta gracefully leap out of the swirling cone and practically float to the ground, landing without a single sound nor disturbance in the blanket of dust.

The tornado died down behind him until there was nothing there at all, as if Meta were the one controlling its every action. He probably was. Meta was as blue and perfect as ever, untouched by the dust and dirt, which greatly angered Orion, for he was bleeding head to toe with the scratches the rocks gave him. Orion lifted up his sword to a guarding position with a great effort as Meta advanced toward him.

Then Meta dashed forward and slammed his sword against Orion's, sending the prince flying backwards ten feet before skidding painfully on the ground for another ten. Orion groaned as he pushed himself up yet again, his adrenaline waning. Meta flashed him an evil grin as his sword lit up for the third time.

_Oh not again, _he thought. Meta ran at him again, Orion raising his sword feebly. Meta lunged, the light forming itself into beaming copies of his sword, shooting forward and pounding against Orion's lame attempt of a guard. Orion's grip on his sword weakened when the pounding finally stopped. He felt more of his liquid life seep lazily out of him, like his body didn't care if it died or not. He didn't let go, but he felt faint when he saw Meta standing before him. His eyes were soft but that didn't make him look any less menacing. With a mere twitch of his hand, he flipped Orion's sword out of his grip. "I win," he said matter-of-factly. He sheathed his sword and turned away.

"Sir Meta Knight wins!" Orion heard his mother call, "Prince Orion! Stand!" Orion tried to sit up and barely succeeded. Meta looked at him boredly then held out a hand. Orion glared at him with hatred but took his hand anyway. Meta picked up Orion's fallen sword and handed it to him as he pull him up, seemingly without a single effort. Katina, Ashetine, Rona and Fumu came walking down. The king and queen hugged their son and his sister merely glanced at him in pity. Fumu didn't even look at him, she was too busy congratulating Meta Knight, who raised an eyebrow at her.

"Boring. A Waddle Dee could've completely destroyed him," he said to her. She laughed. Rona shot a look at them.

"It's a long way up that mountain, Orion," she warned, "You up for it?" He sighed.

"Do I seriously have to-"

"Yes," Katina said firmly, "You agreed to the terms so you must follow them." Orion groaned.

"But mother!" He coughed, "I am covered head to toe with wounds! It's not fair that I would have to-"

"She is right you know." They turned to see Meta Knight staring at them. "It you break the rules, you will bring dishonor to your family name. You will be thought as untrustworthy or as a liar when you descend to the throne. But, then again, it is your choice," he said calmly. Orion glared at him, hatred and envy in his eyes.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll climb the stupid mountain," he muttered crossly. Rona nodded.

"And now, the gift to the victor!" Rona announced.

"Does she have to make it sound so important?" Meta Knight whispered. Fumu looked away. Rona grinned creepily.

"Fumu-san, please give the champion his prize!" She said, laughing quietly. Fumu blushed deeply. Meta Knight was confused, as well as the others. The suddenly, Fumu looked up, stepped toward Meta Knight...and kissed him. Meta Knight's eyes went wide and white, gasps sounding from the crowd above. Fumu stepped away and stared at him, her face redder than a tomato.

"Oh my," Katina murmured through laughter, "Do you remember, Ashetine? When you won that duel? Goodness gracious. Déjà vu!" Meta Knight finally processed what had happened. He blushed scarlet, gulping as his eyes turned deep pink. Orion stared, completely jealous of the knight.

"Hey, Mety! Blush much?" Falspar's voice sounded from above. The group below looked up at him, watching as Nonsurat whacked him over the head and sent him falling off the cliff. Unfortunately for everyone else, Falspar managed to grab a ledge and pull himself up.

"Why doesn't he just DIE already!?" Nonsurat cried, "There where so many attempts on his life but NO. He refuses to die!" Nonsurat sighed. A couple people laughed. Ashetine stared up at the four warriors in complete disbelief.

"They are here too?" he muttered, eyes wide. Meta Knight brought his attention back to Fumu. She seems to be avoiding his gaze. He smirked, his blush fading away to a soft pink.

"You know, I think I like that prize. I definitely don't deserve it for it is worth more than all the treasures and riches in the universe but, it's still nice to have," he said quietly, just enough for the others surrounding him to hear. Fumu looked up to see his smiling amusedly at her. Orion fought off the urge to attack Meta Knight as he winked at Fumu. She blushed, looking away as she tried to hide her smile. Rona brought her hands together.

"Alright...shall we go to the mountain now?" She asked. Meta Knight nodded.

"Yes, we should go now," he said, pointing toward the sun as it slowly made it's way past it's noon post. Escargon drove down to where they stood. Orion's face brightened, but Rona shook her head as his mother, father, she and Fumu climbed in.

"You have to walk remember?" Orion's jaw dropped.

"What!" Meta Knight shot him a look as they drove away.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll walk too, jeez," he said. Orion harrumphed.

"Fine..."

* * *

It took a tremendous amount of effort to even walk but somehow Orion managed it. He walked five feet away from Meta Knight, allowing the boy to lead him to his destination, a tall spire of blackened rock in the distance. Seven others had chosen to walk with them. Just a couple of children, or brats as Orion would've called them. But he didn't. He saved his energy for the climb. He shivered inwardly. He wondered how that would feel. He'll know what it feels like soon enough. He listened begrudgingly to the children's comments to his opponent.

"Oh my gosh! That was so cool when you made that tornado thingy! What's that move called?" an eleven year old boy with strange hair asked. Meta Knight chuckled.

"Mach Tornado," he answered softly, his eyes a soft pink. The kid laughed.

"And did Rona plan your 'prize'? 'Cus if she did, I'm gonna applaud her." Meta Knight raised an eyebrow, a slight blush coming to his face.

"Why?" The kid scoffed.

"If you read her diary, you would know," he replied, smirking devilishly. Meta Knight shot him a look.

"Bun! If you're sister knew that you were snooping around in her belongings, she would-"

"Strangle me. I know. But seriously! There's a lot of stuff about you in there! Even a hate list!" Meta Knight fell silent. Orion smirked inwardly. The kid, now dubbed as Bun, flashed Meta Knight a toothy smile, "But that was during the first few months of knowing you. There were only three things anyway. She crossed it out too and put a different list below it. Oh gosh, it was long! She kept on writing that you were wonderful, so secretive, and charming. It was absolutely disgusting!" Meta Knight blushed deeply.

"Did she really write that?" he asked. Bun nodded.

"Yeah! And remember that diamond necklace you gave her for her birthday? She wouldn't stop talking about it and how thoughtful and kind and amazing you are! God! Chick nearly drove me insane!" He said, speaking each trait as if they were the most disgusting things on the planet. Kirby laughed with delight, pointing at Meta while the little boy jumped up and down.

"He's pink!" He cried, then got distracted by a butterfly and ran off to chase it. Meta Knight laughed, a twinge of nervousness in his voice.

"Precious isn't he?" Bun scoffed.

"More like a disaster in the making," he said, "Despite the fact that he saved the universe of course." Meta Knight sighed. He looked up, as did Orion.

"Almost there," he murmured, stopping before gesturing towards the looming spire of rock above them. Orion nearly fainted with disbelief.

"Do I seriously have to climb that?" Meta Knight shrugged.

"Well yeah. But there is-"

"Okay, I'm just gonna get this over with," he grumbled to himself as he began to climb the practically vertical mountain.

"You could just-" Meta Knight began. Orion glared at him.

"You could just SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He yelled. Meta Knight closed his mouth. Orion continued to climb up the steep and rocky side, not looking back.

"Suit yourself," Meta Knight said calmly. Orion gained much satisfaction when he heard him and the seven children leave.

* * *

What was really hours seemed like eternity to Orion as he climbed up the spire of rock inch by inch, sweat practically pouring from his head, down his scarred face and into his sopping wet clothes. He looked up. The top was so close. He felt a burst of adrenaline and heaved himself over the ledge. He looked around. Not a soul seen. He growled and kicked a rock. This was the third time that this had happened. He collapsed to the ground, fatigue beginning to win over his senses, burst of energy...gone. He began to pull out the rocks that had embedded themselves into his hands and legs, grimacing whenever he pulled out one that had pierced past the skin and brought his blood out to greet the light and air.

Then there were voices. Orion shot up and started to climb again, listening as hard as he could. "It has been almost three hours! Where in the name of Nova is he?" He heard his sister exclaim in anger.

"He took the long way," the knight answered. Orion's eyes widened.

_How did HE get up there so fast?! _Orion exclaimed mentally.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Rona asked, clearly irritated.

"He didn't take the road up. I tried to point it out to him but he didn't want to listen to me. I guess that he was still a little annoyed with me." Rona groaned.

_Road? _Orion looked to his left. Sure enough, there was a dirt path with hardly any rocks on it, and it was _much flatter _than the way Orion took. Orion nearly exploded with anger. He scaled up the last few feet and fell onto his back, looking up at his sister and the rest of them.

"I climbed it. Are you happy now?" Rona blinked.

"You could've take the-"

"Road," Orion finished, "But I didn't because I'm not a sissy."

"I teleported," Meta Knight said.

"Because he's cool," one of the brat Bun's friends added. Orion huffed in annoyance.

"Yeah, and it scared the crap out of me," Rona said crossly, shooting a look at the knight. He shrugged, and embarrassed look on his face. Rona rolled her eyes. "Well Ori, it took three times the amount of time set for you to climb the mountain. Sauce time!" A guard stepped forward and offered Rona a small box. She opened it.

Laying inside was a tiny glass vial of clear liquid. It was barely smaller than half of Orion's pinky, which was pretty small. Rona put on thick rubber gloves and picked up the vial as carefully as if it were a bird just broken out of the shell of its egg home. Orion gulped fearfully. Rona gave the vial to him. It felt warm to the touch. With trembling fingers, he popped off the metal coated cork.

"Drink it all," Rona said, "There is exactly one drop in that thing." She pressed her hands to her ears. Fumu stared at her confused. Meta Knight nudged her and whispered something into her ear. She looked at him, wide eyed. She also plugged her ears. Orion swore under his breath then drank the foreign liquid. It felt warm as it slid down his throat. The prince looked at Meta Knight in victory. He smirked in return. Orion heard sizzling noises and a mild burn began to accumulate in his mouth. The guards put their hands to their ears. The king and queen did the same.

The burn grew more painful and Orion felt as if there were a gallon of lava swishing around in his throat. Raging fires burned inside Orion's stomach, scorching every bit of his insides. An unbearable inferno coursed through Orion's veins, sending his nerves crazy. Pain rocketed through his body and Orion swore he could see the memories of his life flash across his dizzy vision. Orion collapsed, coughing out an enormous amount of blood, staining the rocky, ashen ground. Fumu gasped and hid her head in Meta Knight's shoulder. Orion's throat burned hotter than the fires of hell, himself regurgitating more and more blood before releasing a blood-curdling scream of shear pain, chilling the bones of his spectators. Orion coughed one last time before falling over the large puddle of his own blood, his sight blackening. Meta Knight's blank face and pitiless silver eyes were the last things Orion saw. Then it was all dark, cold and he was scared.

* * *

The guards went to work immediately, cleaning up the blood, hoisting Orion onto a stretcher and herding the king, queen, the princess, and Fumu into Dedede's car. Meta Knight, Sword and Blade stayed behind to help the guards. Fumu looked back at the bloodied prince.

"Will your brother be alright?" She asked Rona. Rona nodded.

"Sir Meta Knight had been so kind as to give one of the guards a small bottle of unicorn blood. He said that Orion will have to drink it all in order for him to live. They're taking care of him right now," she replied calmly. Fumu stared at her in disbelief.

"You don't sound very worried or concerned for your brother," Fumu observed. Rona scoffed.

"Well, yeah. He's not even my real brother. My uncle, Sir Renejay, died in and accident and my father decided to take in Orion. That was before I was born though. Orion was not even one when that happened." Fumu's eyes slanted downward in pity.

"Poor boy," she said. Rona nodded again.

"Well, he will live...thanks to your boyfriend." Fumu froze.

_Boyfriend?_

"W-what b-boyfriend?" Fumu stammered, feeling as jittery as a bird near a predator. Rona laughed.

"The blue one! Sir Meta Knight! He IS you're boyfriend, is he not?"

"No!" Fumu said, her face getting redder by the second. Rona raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine. You like him then." Fumu's face went completely red.

"N-no!" Rona smirked.

"Dare you to dance with him at the ball," she said.

"Ball?" Fumu mentally smacked herself. She couldn't believe she actually forgot! She had thought about asking Meta Knight to the dance, but that was before Blade broke his mask and before Dedede changed him. That was before Fumu's crush on him wasn't so huge, before...everything. Fumu didn't think she would have the courage to ask him, now. Rona nodded.

"Look, if you ask him to the dance, I'll dance with your brother. Okay? Fair deal?" Fumu shook her head rapidly.

"Absolutely not!" Out of the corner of her eye, Fumu saw King Ashetine and Queen Katina smile.

"I was once as shy as you Fumu. But thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was able to face my love. I admitted to him my heart and in result I have a beautiful daughter, a loving husband, a home with everything I had ever wanted, a life of peace and happiness. Love is truly a powerful thing. Be at peace with it, dear. Your cooperation will reward you with the bestest of lives," Katina said, taking her husband's hand.

Fumu looked back at the knights and guards, a smile, a glimmer of hope that had bloomed inside her chest, weaved itself onto her lips.


	3. Chapter 3 (Final)

Meta Knight watched unblinkingly as Rona's bodyguard poured every drop of unicorn blood into the bloody prince's mouth. His actions earlier during the duel unnerved him. Made him feel unlike himself. Made him feel...wild. Out of control.

He didn't like it.

Meta Knight knew he'd acted like a jerk before, when he was an adult, but never like this. What he did seemed like it teetered on the edge of sadism or just plain bullying. Did anyone else see his strange behavior or was it just him? Perhaps it was the pent up aggression he had for Dedede. He certainly didn't like being young again, because it felt awful and strange. He sighed. He'd better start concealing it or else people will start noticing.

"Um, Sir?" Meta Knight blinked out of his daze and turned to look at Sword Knight, who was taking off his helm. Meta Knight cocked his head at him.

"Yes?" His knave was staring at him quite worriedly.

"Permission to speak freely, sir."

"Permission granted. You needn't do that any longer, Sword. You know me."

"Are you alright?" Meta Knight raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" The man scratched his head.

"You were frowning at Orion, like... Uh... Well, you've been acting strange. Like during the duel, you looked like you were...enjoying beating the stuffing out of him. You were scaring me, Sir," he said quietly, so the others couldn't hear. Meta Knight studied him. Well, good thing he wasn't the only one who noticed. He bowed his head a little, thoughts speeding around his head.

"Forgive me," he murmured, "I don't know what's happening. It's like I can't control myself. I haven't felt like this for a long time..." Meta Knight's eyes turned white and he looked up at Sword. The older boy stepped forward, curiosity and worry shown in his yellow eyes.

"I don't like the way you said that. What? What are you-" Meta Knight was too lost in his thoughts to hear him. He hadn't felt this out of control since he was sixteen, and that was nearly 9,000 years ago. He felt his face heat up. Why hadn't he realized this sooner!? He was a teenager again! This happened to everyone! Meta Knight blinked, finally realizing that he had zoned out again. Sword had been waving his hand in front of his face.

"Huh-wha-what?" The knight mumbled, shaking his head slightly, "What is it Sword?" Sword dropped his hand, frowning.

"Sir, you're starting to concern me." As Meta Knight was about to reply, a groan interrupted him. Blade and Rona's bodyguard helped Prince Orion sit up. Meta Knight and Sword exchanged looks.

"I'll tell you later," Meta Knight whispered, his blush fading. Sword huffed. They both walked up to the dazed prince.

"Are you alright, your majesty?" Rona's bodyguard asked, gently taking his arm to pull him up. Orion snorted and shoved her away from him.

"Fuck off. I can take care of myself," he grunted, attempting to stand, but ultimately failing. The rejected bodyguard backed up and sighed.

"Yes sir." Meta Knight felt a surprisingly large amount of anger at the prince, his jaw clenching and his fist tightening into white balls of cloth. Oh Nova, what is wrong with him? He really hates his predicament. Meta Knight shook his head. There's nothing you can do about now, so suck it up. He took a deep breath. Blade was looking at him, frowning suspiciously. Meta Knight averted his eyes, feeling uncomfortable as both his knights' gazes seemed to bore holes into his back. Orion groaned and clutched his side as he tried to get up again.

Meta Knight cleared his throat before stepping forward and offering a hand to the prince. Orion merely glared at him and looked away.

"I said I can take care of myself," he said childishly. Meta Knight knelt down, hand still outstretched.

"Please your majesty. Do not be stubborn," Meta Knight said, eyebrows pinched together in a frown. Orion continued to glare at him. They stared at each other for a long while, neither saying a word. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of just staring at each other, Orion relented, taking Meta Knight's outstretched hand. Meta Knight's darker mood began to lighten at this. Perhaps it just took some perseverance to make that kid act his age. Orion stumbled a bit after Meta Knight stood him up, but managed not to fall. Orion immediately let go of Meta Knight's hand as soon as he got his footing. Muttering incoherently, he brushed the dust and dirt from his clothes.

"Thanks," he spat harshly, looking away from Meta Knight. Meta Knight wanted to feel anger, but staved away the negative emotion and gave a forced smile.

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," he said, putting as much honestly and sincerity he could muster into his tone. Rona's bodyguard sighed and looked around, noticing the sun beginning to set.

"We should get going," she said. Meta Knight nodded.

"Sword-o, Blade-o," he called. Sword and Blade nodded and packed up the medical equipment before jogging it to Yabui's house. The other guards herded Orion towards the castle, while Rona's personal guard stayed behind for a moment, staring into the sunset. Meta Knight waited for her to move, and when she didn't, he went to stand next to her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She suddenly asked. Meta Knight glanced at her.

"Yes. It is," he agreed.

"I've never seen a sunset over the sea before. Where the royal family lives is surrounded by forest and mountain. While it is beautiful there as well, one does get used to the scene of never-changing mountains," she said softly. Meta Knight stared at the guard for a moment, eyes green with thought.

"It is getting late," he murmured. The guard nodded. They turned and began to head back to the castle. They walked in silence on the dirt path down the mountain. When they reached the bottom, Meta Knight broke the silence.

"I never caught your name," he said conversationally. Rona's guard looked up at him. She gave a small smile.

"Dahlia. My name's Dahlia Vee," she said, "And you are Sir Meta Knight?" Meta Knight smiled, nodding. Dahlia's smile broadened.

"My mother once said my father named me after a flower, but I have never heard of a flower called a dahlia," she said, looking at the ground thoughtfully. Meta Knight nodded. Meta Knight gazed at the valley as they walked by, watching as the rows upon rows of colorful flowers swayed in the slight wind making it seem as if there were waves upon an ocean of plants. Meta Knight noticed a patch of dahlias nearby the path they were walking on. His eyes turned pink with his amusement at the coincidence. He inconspicuously reached over and plucked a particularly graceful-looking one and slipped it into Dahlia's hand. The guard looked at it in surprise.

"It's so pretty," she murmured, looking up at Meta Knight, "What is it?" Meta Knight smiled kindly.

"That is a dahlia." Dahlia beamed at him.

"Thank you Sir Meta Knight." He nodded.

"You're welcome." Dahlia held the flower close to her and admired it as they continued to walk to the castle. The giant building was looming over them, beams shining from the windows and fairy lights glittering from the walls and towers. They walked over the drawbridge, which had been cleaned and polished for the ball. Dahlia's mouth dropped open as soon as she stepped into the courtyard. Meta Knight was amazed as well.

The courtyard was decorated beautifully, with lights in the trees and flowers gleaming in the soft moonlight. An elegant red carpet extended through the center of the area, stretching into the halls which were draped in lush velvet with soft, warm glows emanating from small lights in the small spaces between each drapery. Fireflies drifted through the air, winking and flashing.

"Wow," Dahlia breathed. Meta Knight remained silent. "Who did all this?" Dahlia asked. Meta Knight didn't answer right away, too taken to marveling at the magnificent layout before him.

"Lady Fumu worked very hard to make King Dedede's castle presentable to the royal family visiting. I didn't realize this grubby castle could look so prestigious," Meta Knight said at last, admiration laced thickly in his tone, "It is quite unbelievable that this place would look like this after a long, bloody war." Dahlia looked happy, with a tinge of sorrow darkening her eyes.

"It truly is amazing. I am glad that it survived the war to be like this." she said, gazing sadly at her flower. Meta Knight nodded.

"It is peaceful," he agreed, "A large contrast from the battle I am accustomed to." Dahlia was surprised.

"You were in battle?" Meta Knight glanced at her his expression turning serious.

"We all were. Those of good against the powers of evil. It was everyone's war," he said. Dahlia nodded understandingly.

"The blonde one, was that Lady Fumu?" Dahlia suddenly asked. The topic change was unexpected and surprised Meta Knight slightly. He remained silent for a moment.

"Yes, she is a close friend of Princess Rona," Meta Knight said as his eyes began to turn green. A small smile touched his lips. "She is the one that pulled all of this together. She is quite talented and very intelligent."

"You like her," Dahlia said, smiling slightly. Meta Knight's eyes flashed white.

"What makes you say that?"

"The way you talk about her, and I saw what you were doing before the duel," Dahlia giggled. Meta Knight was grateful for the dimmer lighting, maybe his deep red blush won't be too noticeable.

"Uh..." Dahlia grinned.

"Don't worry Sir Meta Knight. I'm sure she likes you too," she assured.

He hummed thoughtfully, gazing at the ground. Dahlia didn't say anything, instead flashed him one last smile and turning abruptly to disappear into the halls. Meta Knight blinked and shook his head. He walked back to his home inside the castle, feeling a slight sense of apprehension for the upcoming ball. The sun had set, gentle lunar rays beaming from the full moon and a warm atmosphere glittering from the lights surrounding the castle ground. Despite the darkness, Meta Knight guessed it was around seven thirty. He opened the door to his home and was immediately greeted by Blade.

"Where have you been!?" She cried, shaking her head, "Gwah! Doesn't matter. I already made dinner so eat up before it gets cold. Then you have to get ready for the ball. Go! Go! Go!" She pulled Meta Knight inside and shut the door loudly. She pushed him into a seat at the table in the dining room and passed him a bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce, topped with parmesan cheese. It all happened quite suddenly and a normal person would've been disoriented by it all, but Meta Knight being used to Blade's erratic antics continued on like it was completely normal. He sighed. Sometimes he hated it whenever she got motherly, because as soon as he finished, Blade was poking at him again.

"Shower," she commanded, "then get changed! And hurry!" She pushed him into his room and shut the door. Meta Knight sighed and sifted through his closet. He started pulling out a fancy dress uniform he got after he was knighted, blinking at the amazingly coincidence of how he had been seventeen when he received it. It still looked as new as when he first shoved it into his closet.

He shook his head and began to dress.

* * *

"Ow! Ow! Mom! OUCH!" Fumu yelped each time her mother tugged together one hook on her dress after another.

"It doesn't even hurt! You're just faking it!" Her mother said, tugging another hook onto its complimentary ring. Fumu gave a faux laugh.

"You're only saying that because you're the one squeezing the life out of me! And why do I have to wear a stupid corset!?" Fumu cried.

"Oh hush dear! I don't want to hear any of your silly complaints! Now hold still..." Fumu bit her lip as Memu tugged a dress over her head. Her mother was right, it didn't hurt, but Fumu really didn't like the dress being forced onto her. It was much too bright and flashy. And it showed much more than Fumu was comfortable with. Her mother had always said she was too shy about showing skin.

It was a bright, rosy pink dress with stays that hugged her upper body snugly. Tiny little roses climbed up the bodice in an 'X' pattern followed by corded green silk that weaved past the flowers to come up into a bow at rim of her dress. It had no sleeves or straps, and her back was only partially covered. She was relieved that there was a shawl to go with it so she didn't feel too exposed. Even with the easy movement the gown provided, Fumu was still uncomfortable.

Memu finally finished hooking the dress together and began to lace gentle green cords through special rings rowed up Fumu's back, next to the hooks. Memu pulled them tight and Fumu made a pained squeaking noise. Memu looped the cords and tied them securely in place, then draped it over the hooks.

Next, Memu put a fluff of powder on her nose, which made her sneeze, and then dabbed perfume behind her ears and little on her neck. Fumu sniffed as her mother fastened a intricately beautiful green pendant around her neck. Fumu slipped on thin green gloves the stretched up to her elbows.

"Done! Here is your shawl sweetheart," Memu exclaimed, handing Fumu a lovely gauzy pink shawl. Fumu sighed. Damn. She glanced at the clock. There was still a whole sixty minutes to kill. Fumu wondered what Rona was doing. "Oh, you look absolutely stunning!" Her mother cried, clasping her hands together. Fumu nodded in thanks, smiling at her.

"Mom. I'm gonna go see Rona. I'll see you later," Fumu informed her mother as she went to leave, slipping on her brand-new lily pink lace slippers.

"Alright dear," Memu said, as she began to clean up. Fumu shut the door gently behind her and walked down the hallways to Rona's quarters. She smiled at the decorations lighting up the halls. She loved how it turned out for the evening. The ball was going to be spectacular. Her footsteps were muffled by the soft red carpet as she sped up her pace. Rona's room was nearby Fumu's home so the two girls could visit each other easily. The door opened before Fumu had a chance to knock on it.

"I'm going to visit Fumu, is that alright mother? Okay, thank you!" Rona called behind her as she stepped out the door. She would've bumped into Fumu if the blonde-girl hadn't moved over.

"Rona," Fumu said. Rona jumped and whirled around to see Fumu standing with a small smile on her face. Rona raised a hand to her mouth.

"Goodness! Fumu, you startled me!" Rona exclaimed. Fumu laughed softly.

"I was coming to visit!" She said. Rona smiled.

"That's what I was doing!"

"I saw that," Fumu said, beaming. Rona looked her up and down.

"You look so pretty!" Rona acknowledged. Fumu spun in a circle.

"Thank you! But you're the one that looks like a goddess!" Fumu replied, giggling girlishly. Rona was dressed in light, gentle purple that complemented her eyes and hair. Her dress was thickly layered, flaring slightly at the hips as was the current style of her home planet but looked like it could manage several different dances. She had a whitish silver circlet resting upon her brow, her lavender fall curling over her shoulders and spilling down her back in a river of beauty and grace. Fumu thought she must have looked like a troll compared to the princess. Rona rolled her eyes.

"You flatter me!" She said over-dramatically. The two girls began to walk down the hallway, back past Fumu's home, talking and laughing. In time, they walked nearly to the other side of the castle.

"Hey, Fumu. Remember?" Rona's current smile turned mischievous. Fumu raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Hm? What?" Fumu asked. Rona stopped walking and gazed at a nearby door with an interested expression.

"Doesn't Sir Meta Knight live here?" Rona looked at Fumu with the same expression that screamed mischief. Her eyes widened. The deal! Fumu began to shake her head, her face turning a horrible shade of red as she remembered what she had done after the duel. His lips had felt so soft against her own, it was like a dream.

"Rona no! I-it's a bad idea!" Fumu cried. Rona rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine, but you'd better dance with him at the ball," she said. "Or else," she added ominously. Fumu felt sick to the stomach.

"A-alright." They walked back to Fumu's home.

"Honestly Fumu, I don't know why you're so worked up about this. It's just a stupid ball."

"I've got a great idea. Let's not talk about whatever 'this' is. And it's not stupid. I worked hard to make the decorations look this good."

"True, and I really admire you for it. I can't design a cupcake without it turning out to look like a pile of fish dung. I'm more interested in more action-ey things, like swordplay."

"Everyone knows that, Rona," Fumu said shaking her head, "C'mon. The party will begin in thirty minutes."

Shuffling came from the room as the two girls turned the corner. Not noticing, they continued to walk.

Mere minutes later Meta Knight stepped out of the door, smoothening down his uniform. Blade walked out behind him, looking around curiously.

"Nobody here yet?" She was looking around with a strange look in her eyes. Meta Knight shook his head. Blade scowled at him.

"What?" He asked. Blade rolled her eyes.

"You messed up your hair, again!" She cried irritably, reaching up to finger-comb his hair. He frowned at her, swatting at her hands.

"Blade, stop it," he said firmly. She rolled her eyes.

"Stop being childish. Just. Let. Me. Fix," she said through clenched teeth. Meta Knight gave up and let her do her thing. As soon as she was done and down the hall, he raised his hand and ruffled his hair so the navy blue tips would dangle in front of his eyes. Sword stepped out behind him. He smirked.

"Really sir?"

"I'm a rebel," he said, closing his eyes with a smirk as he tipped his chin up.

"Of course."

"I was trying to be funny..."

"I'm sorry to have ruined your moment," Sword replied smiling. The two of them began to follow Blade from a distance, their leather dress boots tapping lightly against the floor. Sword hadn't worn armor for the night as he donned a fine deep green sleeved shirt with gold embroidery and wore black slacks with a fashionable brown leather belt, a gold star glinting as the buckle. His hair wasn't the spiky mess it always was and was combed to look more formal, Blade made sure of that. Over his clothes, he wore an evergreen cloak with gold trimming. Meta Knight sniffed, pulling his cape around himself. It didn't touch the floor like his other one did, so he didn't actually need to hold it, but he did so anyway out of habit.

Meta Knight felt a lot lighter with just the uniform and no armor, and the familiar small weight of Galaxia at his side did almost nothing to assuage the awkward feeling. He pulled his cape tighter around himself, suddenly feeling vulnerable. Sword looked at him questionably.

"Are you okay sir?" Meta Knight nodded.

"I'm fine, Sword. I'm just not used to dressing in this manner," he responded. Sword smiled sympathetically.

"Yeah, not wearing armor feels a bit unnatural to me," he agreed, casting a dark look down at his clothes. Meta Knight chuckled, impulsively smoothening down his uniform again. With his glove, he shined the noble star-cut ruby adorning his chest so it gleamed proudly against the dark blue of his uniform. He brushed his hand against Galaxia's hilt, as if to reassure himself that she was still there with him. Sighing, he forced himself to take comfort in the legendary sword's presence.

They found Blade standing by the archway to the outside. Cappies dressed formally were flitting in and out of the ballroom. Meta Knight saw that many were paired men and women. Sword crept up to Blade and hugged her from behind. The young couple laughed joyously while Meta Knight stood from a small distance, smiling as he watched the duo walk hand-in-hand on to the dance floor. As sappy as it sounded, Meta Knight couldn't help but feel little lonely. He inwardly sighed to himself, his smile becoming forced.

Meta Knight walked through the arch, turning the opposite direction from Sword and Blade, towards the beverage table. In one smooth movement, he scooped up a glass of sparkling water, glancing longingly at the wine glasses. What he would do for a nice goblet of the burgundy liquid was debatable, but his current age made it illegal. Meta Knight took a tentative sip of his water as he glanced around, awkwardness churning in his stomach.

Like the courtyard, the ball room was decorated to amaze. It was open roofed so everyone could gaze at the large expanse of twinkling stars above them. A pleasant breeze filtered around the room, gently ruffling Meta Knight's hair and freshening the room's atmosphere. Stone columns jutted out of the ground, long chains of delicate and colorful flowers twisted around the pillars of rock, fireflies drifted around flashing like the stars. Partygoers danced on a large stone floor set into the ground, a positive undertone of laughter and conversation filling the air, accompanying the sweet strains of violinists, flute players, a single pianist, and the deep hums of cellos. Waddle Dees dressed in casual attire patrolled the area, most carrying platters of either food or beverage. Some held spears and guarded doorways or were posted in alcoves in the walls. Meta Knight noticed the decorations seemed to strangely give off a romantic aura. He guessed that explained why some of the Cappies looked so lovey-dovey. Meta Knight stopped himself from snorting in disgust when a cold feeling passed through him, sending shivers down his spine.

He didn't recognize most of the faces present but found Mable the "fortune-teller" and the innkeeper dancing together, as well as the Mayor stuffing his face with crackers from the snack table. He saw Professor Curio standing not too far away in a conversation with Dr. Yabui. Chief Borun was making a deal with that silly prisoner of his, the Chief's wife standing behind him, gossiping with the Mayor's wife, Hana. Meta Knight wanted to smile, but the same cold feeling passed through him. He scanned the room again, seeing many villagers dancing with their partners. Meta Knight quickly downed the rest of his drink. The bite of the carbonated water momentarily took his mind off the tightness of his chest where something foreign ached.

He set the now empty glass onto a passing tray-holding Waddle Dee. He walked to the snack table and picked up a light green cookie. Not knowing what it was, he took a tentative nibble for taste. Delighted to find it was a mint flavored, he took another, larger bite. He swallowed not long after, savoring the fresh mint in his mouth. He felt a timid little tug on his cape. Looking down, he saw a very young looking Waddle Dee carrying a large silver platter of a small finger sandwiches made from cut-up croissants and various other ingredients.

"Would you like one mister?" She squeaked, looking nervous and shy. Meta Knight smiled kindly and nodded, taking one from the middle of the platter. The dee looked very relieved and smiled brightly in return.

"Thank you, little one," Meta Knight said warmly, nodding at the small creature and patting the pink bow on her tiny head. She was practically beaming at him.

"You're welcome, Sir Meta Knight!" She chirped cheerfully, before carefully turning around and resuming her rounds around the ballroom. Meta Knight lost the smile as soon as the young girl left his line of sight, his face once again becoming impassive. He took smaller bites of his cookie and croissant until both were finished and the taste that remained was of the strong mint. He sighed softly, walking back to the stone pillar he had once occupied.

Sighing, he silently slipped away, quickly weaving through the townspeople walking along the grass surrounding the stone dance floor. Perhaps he shouldn't have come to the party. He quietly groaned. If he hadn't, he would've been neglecting his duty. Since the king "couldn't come," Meta Knight had no choice but to come and represent him. And, besides the point, Blade would've made him attend anyway.

"Sir Meta Knight!" A familiar voice called out to him. Meta Knight turned to see Dahlia hurrying toward him. She smiled breathlessly upon reaching him. He was quiet, letting the guard take her time to catch her breath. She was wearing a different uniform, one that was in the form of a dress but still represented who she worked for by the embroidery over her heart. She had the flower he had given her in her hair, which had been styled much like it had been when she was pretending to be Princess Rona. Meta Knight smiled at her when she straightened to meet his gaze and was breathing normally.

"Hello Dahlia. Fancy seeing you here," he remarked coolly. She nodded.

"Yes, it is nice to see you as well. Lady Fumu did a remarkable job with organizing the party. I am quite taken away by her efforts," she said. Meta Knight nodded. They began to walk around the perimeter of the area, chatting idly. Meta Knight was actually enjoying the night so far, with the exception of obvious things. He studied her as she turned to admire Fumu's handiwork, but something strange caught his eye.

"Where did you get that scar?" Meta Knight asked out of the blue. He hadn't noticed the large scar on the guard's neck. It was long and jagged, nearly hidden completely by her hair, running from next to her right ear and disappearing into the raised collar of her uniform. Dahlia's eyes widened and she raised a hand to cover it. Meta Knight stepped closer to her, and she flinched a bit. He halted in his advance.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he said quietly, stepping backwards. "I shouldn't have asked such a personal question." Dahlia rapidly shook her head.

"N-no, it's alright. I shouldn't have reacted like that. It just...brings back painful memories," she said, her head ducking as her eyes became despondent. Meta Knight nodded empathetically, knowing very well of what she meant.

"I understand, Dahlia," he said kindly, "but don't trouble yourself with speaking about it." Meta Knight looked down at his feet, suddenly feeling a bit sick as an unwanted recollection his own war-laden memories rushed forth. Dahlia looked up.

"It's nothing really," she murmured. He looked up into her eyes, seeing sheepishness. He pondered over what she said, his face devoid of emotion.

"Is it?" he asked so quietly she barely heard him speak. Dahlia just stared at him, watching as his eyes slowly turned from silver to green. After a while she sighed. She took his arm and led him to a more isolated area. Her eyes were sorrowful, as if remembering a past painful tradegy, something Meta Knight had seen many a time in the aftermath of battle. She took a breath and looked him in the eye.

"I lived in a simple house with my mother and two elder sisters. As a kid, I always wanted to be skilled in swordplay. But under the watchful eyes of my mother and sisters, my dream seemed impossible to accomplish. There was only one place I could be free of their prying eyes, even for just a moment. Whenever I got the chance, I'd sneak out into the forest behind my house to pretend I was a knight of justice fighting for the greater good or a master swordsman on a quest to save the universe.

"In my childishly imaginative head, I battled dragons, banished demons, and did everything the heroes in my storybooks did. My mother always scolded me whenever I got dirty. She wanted me to act like a lady, like my sisters. She'd lock me in my room for getting mud all over my dress, she'd yell at me for running alone into the woods, she'd sometimes even beat me for it, but I kept going to the woods. I kept playing my silly games. Until finally my mother had enough," she trailed off, tearing her gaze away from him. Meta Knight noticed her eyes beginning to shimmer with tears.

"She disowned me the day before she tossed me out to the streets in the middle of the night," she began again, staring down at the floor," I didn't care, thought it was great actually, that I'd finally be able to make my dreams of becoming a swordsman come true. I was finally free of the reins my mother had set upon me at birth. My first move going into the forest. I had always gone to play there during the day, so it wasn't until night fell did I realize just how terrifying those woods were. But I went in there anyway, searching for the little hut I had made over the years of sneaking away.

"It was all for naught, for I found my little house in pieces." Dahlia stopped, took a breath and continued to speak, her voice a little rushed, "I curled up at the base of that same tree and tried to sleep. I couldn't find any rest that night though. I saw eyes gleaming around me in the darkness, I heard twigs snapping, ominous hoots of owls, and other sounds that told me the night wasn't dead, but alive and dangerous. I had never before been more afraid..." She took in a shaky breath. Concerned, Meta Knight placed a hand on her shoulder. She brought her gaze up to his momentarily and he comfortingly squeezed her shoulder, silently urging her on.

"As soon as morning came, I was too tired to even move. The daylight and my hunger kept me awake and I ate whatever might've looked good, but while I was doing so, I ran into a weird rodent that attacked me and gave me this scar. When the sky began to darken, I lost all hope right then and I let myself slip into unconsciousness beneath an old pine tree. I woke up in a large bed, and found a large bowl of steaming soup at my bedside table. I guess my hunger overcame my senses because I guzzled it down as fast as I could. Later on, I found that a hunting party of nobles came across me while chasing after a runaway doe and one of them had taken me in. And so I was raised under his care and I grew up to be what I had always wanted to be. A swordsman." Meta Knight remained quiet as Dahlia fixed her gaze on the ground.

He knew it pained her to speak of her mother, but he was glad that she found a home where she could stay and live her dreams. When she looked up, he smiled gently. Her eyes brightened and she returned his smile with a grin.

"What of your father?" He asked, remembering how she had spoken of him hours before. Dahlia blinked then looked down.

"I can't really remember him. He died when I was three. He was the governor of the town before his death," she said. Meta Knight hummed in acknowledgment. They chatted idly for a little while before a thought arose in Meta Knight's head.

"Where is the princess? I thought you were to protect her at all times?" He inquired casually. Wherever the princess would be, Fumu would be too. Meta Knight knew this well. Dahlia shook her head.

"Her Royal Highness dismissed me for the night," she replied.

"Ah."

"Yes, but she is standing over by the beverage table if you wished to see her." Dahlia pointed over Meta Knight's shoulder. He turned and indeed saw Princess Rona hovering over the numerous choices of beverages, Fumu by her side. Dahlia smirked. "Would you mind accompanying me to the beverage table? I feel a little parched." Meta Knight couldn't suppress a smile.

"Of course, Miss Dahlia," he said chuckling while she took his arm and eagerly lead him away. "You really think she likes me, hm?" Dahlia slowed their pace down.

"Well of course! I'm the spectator, I see what you don't see. I see her gazing at you, I see you sneaking glances at her, and I see red on both of your faces if either of you gets caught staring," Dahlia raised an eyebrow as she spoke. Meta Knight averted his eyes, feeling disappointed with himself.

"Was I really that obvious?"

"Obviously. Did you forget she kissed you?" Meta Knight's face reddened and he struggled to keep a stupid grin from overcoming his features.

"No," he mumbled, his composure eroding rapidly. Dahlia laughed.

"Oh look, we're here." They stopped next to Princess Rona, bowing when the princess met their gazes. Fumu stared at Dahlia's arm on Meta Knight's, a strange look in her eyes. Both soldiers acknowledged the blonde damsel's discomfort and smoothly dropped their arms to their sides.

"Oh Dahlia! You look absolutely stunning!" Princess Rona cried, her arms spreading out to give her bodyguard a hug. Dahlia easily accepted it, her grin bright and happy.

"As do you, Your Majesty!" Dahlia said, giggling slightly, before turning to Fumu, "You look simply dazzling, Lady Fumu." A slightly crooked smile came upon the blonde's face.

"Thank you. You do too," she said. A sort of uneasy silence lapsed between the two women, but Rona cut in with a laugh, before sweeping her gaze across the room.

"Is my brother present? The unicorn blood should have healed him an hour ago," she said. Meta Knight scanned the room as well, looking for a mop of brown hair.

"I do not see him," He murmured, before spotting him standing against the same pillar he had occupied a couple minutes ago, "Nevermind, he's over there." He pointed to the area. Dahlia frowned.

"Weren't you standing there a few minutes ago?"

"Brother!" Rona called out. Orion glanced at them before trudging over. Of course, he ignored Meta Knight as best as he could, directing all of his attention toward the girls.

"Yes, Sister?" His tone seemed to be calm, which was a big difference from the cussing brat he'd been a couple hours ago. Meta Knight stabbed away a few twinges of annoyance.

"How do you fare? Did it work?" He nodded, sighing.

"Yes, all the external wounds weren't major so the doctor said I'd be fine, but the internal injuries were pretty severe, but he said I would've survived even without the unicorn blood. He also said the blood had fixed everything inside in a matter of seconds and the outside wounds would be healed in no time." He said quietly, glancing at the knight. Meta Knight nodded.

"Good. I am glad that you recovered Your Majesty," he said stiffly, voice prim and proper. He cast his gaze downward. "I'm sorry I didn't take our fight as seriously as I should've..." Orion looked up at him, eyebrows fiercely knitting together.

"What?" Meta Knight sighed to himself, momentarily closing his eyes before flicking them back up to Orion.

"I was the more experienced warrior in our fight. When I realized that, I should have ended the fight as soon as I could, which I didn't. While it wasn't dishonorable, because of our ages, it was still the wrong thing to do and for that I am very sorry." Orion looked confused and pissed as the girl, the guard, and the princess shifted awkwardly before engaging into a conversation about the decor. Meta Knight caught Fumu looking back at him, and noted that she was listening to his unfolding conversation.

"What do you mean 'more experienced warrior'? I'm a hell of a load sure I'm older than you are!" He quietly growled the knight, eyes flashing. Completely unfazed, Meta Knight explained.

"Your Majesty, my very purpose in life is to fight. It's all I've ever known since I was very young. And while you may think you can tell how old I am just by looking at me, please forgive me when I say you are sorely mistaken," he said in a hushed tone, his voice colder than frozen steel. Fumu flinched at the frigid reply, but dwelled thoughtfully on the rare glance at Meta Knight's past. Orion glared furiously at him.

"Well, I've been learning swordplay since I was three years old! And I doubt that you're any older than eighteen, so you can just-"

"Prince Orion," a new voice cut in, drawing the four's attention, "I'd be very much pleased if you showed this famous war veteran some well-deserved respect." Meta Knight fought the childish urge to smile as King Ashetine stepped up to them, the Queen at his side, her normally calm smile seeming overly sweet and forced. Orion blanched, eyes widening while Rona rushed past to embrace her parents. Fumu stepped up behind Meta Knight and placed an innocent hand on the back of his arm. Meta Knight tried to ignore the tingling sensation erupting from the small touch, a surge of warmth covering part of his face which he prayed no one would notice.

"You came!" Rona exclaimed, hugging her father and mother. Dahlia came up and bowed respectfully to the king and queen. Ashetine smiled warmly at his daughter before turning a stern gaze to Orion. Meta Knight saw the young prince gulp and held back a smirk. The king cleared his throat before speaking.

"My boy, I would like for you to apologize to _Sir_ Meta Knight at once. Your behavior to him was very inappropriate and I demand that you fix it. That is no way to treat one of the most extraordinary men in the universe." Orion's eyes bulged.

"W-what?" Meta Knight sighed.

"It is alright, Your Highness. The prince didn't know who he was talking to, and I don't blame him. Most everyone wouldn't recognize me, considering what happened this morning," he said softly, grimacing at he memory. The king raised his eyebrows.

"Oh dear! What happened?" He inquired. Meta Knight met the king's gaze.

"A small incident occurred this morning and it reduced my age to seventeen. The change has been affecting my behavior and numerous other things, but I was hoping to gain Prince Orion's understanding by excusing my previous actions during the duel." Ashetine looked shocked.

"Who did this?" He demanded, frowning.

"King Dedede did, sir. Unfortunately, he isn't known for using his brain," Meta Knight said, shaking his head, "I do not hold much against him though. I've built up a much better tolerance to people thanks to dealing with Sir Falspar for so many years, putting up with Dedede only increased that tolerance."

"It must have," King Ashetine remarked, crossing his arms. Then he smiled, giving Meta Knight a hearty clap on the back. "It's great to see you, Sir Meta Knight! Last time I saw you, you and Lady Garlude were setting off for the retrieval of the sacred sword Galaxia." The king sighed.

"My goodness. Even then, you had been impossibly young. Lady Garlude must be very proud of you." Meta Knight gave a sad smile, nodding. A soft breath brushed past his ear, and he desperately tried to stop the quivering in gut. _Oh Nova, what is she doing to me?_ Meta Knight silently gulped as a nearly unnoticeable flush spread across his cheeks. But Dahlia had caught the small movement, and once glance told her everything that was happening. A small smile curved over her mouth and a inconspicuous wink made Meta Knight want to leave that very second.

"I hope she is," he murmured, "and it's great to see you too, Ashe." Orion only stared, mouth agape at the easy conversation.

"Wait, what?" The two friends gazed back at the shocked prince. Ashetine sighed, taking Orion's shoulders.

"My boy, your father named you after the greatest swordsman in the galaxy, Sir Meta Orion Knight. I thought that you would've been ecstatic to meet him, but it appears to me that you are not." Orion struggled to find words to reply, as he looked at Meta Knight like someone who had just seen a ghost.

"I-I didn't... I-I'm... S-sorry! Uh..." The prince stumbled helplessly over his words. A sudden chuckle slipped from the knight's mouth.

"It is alright Your Majesty. Apology accepted," he said with a small smile. The music suddenly changed and everyone looked over at the band. Meta Knight noted the addition of a few trumpets, a tuba, and he smiled when he saw Blade carrying a saxophone. She caught his gaze and waved before licking her lips and striking up a jazzy tune as the other instrumentalists followed, playing pieces of their own that played along in tune with her.

"You crazy little redhead," he muttered, shaking his head. Fumu giggled. Looking around, she saw many people were gathering on the dance floor and swaying to the beat of the music. Pink tinged her cheeks as memories stirred at the sight. She swore she could feel the weight of Rona's expectant gaze, the princess's eyes boring holes into her back. Fumu bit her lip and glanced over at the head knight. Meta Knight caught her looking at him and turned to her questioningly. "Lady Fumu?" The blonde gulped and weakly gestured to the dance floor.

"Would you...uh...like to...dance with me?" Her voice had come out as a squeak at the end and she struggled to keep from running away to bash her head on something. She bit her lip. Hard. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! A soft chuckle filtered through the air to her ears. Her cheeks flamed to an impossible red as he stepped closer.

"I would love to," he murmured in that velvety tone Fumu was sure many women would die to hear. His gloved hand slipped confidently into hers and he brought her to him, his eyes giving off an amused pink sparkle. Fumu clamped her mouth shut, not trusting herself to say anything more as she and the knight weaved through the crowd to the middle of the floor. Meta Knight place one hand on the small of her back and another to hold her hand up. She robotically placed her shaky hand on his shoulder, blushing darkly at his sudden smile. He guided her deftly along to the beat of the music, holding her close to him as they spun from one form to another.

After a few minutes, Fumu finally relaxed and let herself sway to the smooth sounds of jazz. As what she expected, Sir Meta Knight was an excellent dancer, his movements easy and flowing with all the grace and poise of a seasoned swordsman. His hand applied the correct amount of pressure against her back, his body deftly guiding hers and never allowing a misstep. The music began to slow, becoming a soothing tune as Meta Knight followed, easing his steps and chuckling when Fumu struggled to do the same.

"Don't think about the dance Lady Fumu," he said softly, eyes glittering with laughter, "Just feel. And let me guide you." Fumu made a small choked noise in the back of her throat, green eyes wide and quivering mouth clamped shut. She forced herself to respond.

"O-okay." Then she shut her eyes, fully aware that her cheeks were flaring a red so bright even tomatoes would be jealous. If they could be. Meta Knight chuckled again. A few minutes later, Fumu finally gathered the pieces of her head together enough open her eyes. Only to promptly lose her cool as soon as her gaze met the intense silvery depths of the knight's irises, just inches away from hers. She almost couldn't breath as he tipped his head forward the slightest, as if asking for her permission to continue. Yes. Fumu's eyes drifted shut and she too leaned forward.

Soon she felt him, warm and firm against her and her mind for the first time in years went blank. Impulsively, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips but instead slid against him. His small quiet gasp stole her breath and she stopped dancing altogether, sliding her hands up his muscled arms to tug him closer by the lapels of his uniform.

It seemed as if the world had faded around them and the only things that remained were the two of them, lovers captivated by the strange magical feeling the wise men call 'true love'. Her lungs burned but she just could tear herself away. This feeling, whatever it was, was intoxicating. When they finally separated, she saw her knight, the passionate fire in the mesmerizing molten pools of sliver. Her heart fluttered with mad desire and she felt dizzy. Her breath came short and choppy as if her lungs suddenly couldn't take in much air. Damn corset. Meta Knight seemed to notice the sudden change about her and started leading her away to the garden. No one was around which made Fumu feel all the more constricted inside as she fought to control herself.

"Lady Fumu?" He sounded so worried, but that didn't hide the remaining breathlessness from their kiss. Fumu coughed and sat abruptly down on a stone bench seated next to a small patch of azaleas. Ever so slowly, he sat next her, gazing at her silently. For a moment, all Fumu could hear was the erratic thumping of her excited heart.

"It's too hot," she muttered absently, shrugging off her shawl and tugging of her gloves setting them haphazardly next to her. Meta Knight made an small sound of agreement and slipped out of his jacket, placing it neatly beside him. She heard him sigh, then brought her gaze over. He was gazing up at the stars, the celestial glow putting his features in a stark new light. His thick blue hair gleamed, his silver eyes shining beneath the dull shadow his deep navy locks cast upon his face. His skin looked flawless, smooth and creamy beneath the moon's light. Fumu wasn't surprised as she felt a twinge of envy for him. It seemed unfair that such an obviously masculine creature could be so beautiful. He turned to her suddenly.

"The stars are gorgeous tonight aren't they?" He asked softly, quietly, as if nothing had occurred between them mere minutes ago. Fumu blinked, feeling slightly hurt. Maybe that was a mistake, maybe that kiss should never have happened._ Maybe he regrets kissing me._ Her eyes began to sting.

"Um, yeah. Yeah it is." She bit her lip again turning away, trying to force out the image of Sir Meta Knight smiling next to Rona's bodyguard, their arms interlocked. Why do I always sound so stupid? She took a shaky breath to calm herself down. Maybe he likes her more than he likes me. She was silent for a moment, listening for any sign of life next to her without looking. _I can't hear him anymore...he must've left. Figures._

"Lady Fumu." She looked over to see him gazing at her, the glow in his eyes impossibly intense, as if he were looking into her very soul. "I do not regret what occurred between us. There's no need for tears." Fumu watched his hand rise and wipe away the tears that threatened to fall. _Can he read my mind?_ She thought, sniffling. His large gloved hands cradled her head and he pressed his forehead against hers.

Meta Knight sighed softly, his nose lightly brushing hers, his sweet warm mint-scented breath caressing her lips. Fumu's eyes fluttered shut and she breathed slow and deep. His mouth pressed against hers, soft and loving, his fingers tracing the back of her neck sending tingles of delight down her spine. Again they leaned away from a searing kiss, both teens trying to calm the almost frantic paces of their heartbeats. Fumu felt the blue knight's arm wind around her and she slid up next him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Meta Knight?" She turned her head further towards his chest, her hand a curled up ball on his thigh.

"Hm?" She felt him press his cheek into her hair.

"Are you still angry about what happened this morning?" He stiffened the slightest and she looked up at him. "Are you?" He stared down at her, eyes turning a ponderous forest green.

"No."

"Really?" He nodded. She raised a brow. He cleared his throat, smiling awkwardly.

"If what had happened this morning didn't occur then I don't believe we would be here like this." He smiled awkwardly, his expression making her laugh softly. "I've liked you for a quite a time Fumu, even back when Nightmare was still alive," he gulped, clearly embarrassed but not making any effort to conceal it, "and I've always pushed my feeling away because, well, that wasn't really allowed back then." He glanced up at her.

"My childhood years were never my fondest memories as they were filled with hardship and pain, but I thought that perhaps..." He paused to gather his thoughts, "I thought that perhaps now I have the chance to relive those days without the responsibilities, the expectations, or the worries of whether I'd survive the weeks, or months, or years to come. I thought that maybe I'd be able to grow up again, but this time not end up alone." Fumu held her hands against her mouth as if it would stop the tears from falling down her face. Meta Knight was already attending to that, speaking softly as he gently caught her tears before they could dribbled down her cheeks.

"Fumu, I know that this is so much to ask you, and I don't know just how you are going to take this," he murmured, his voice low and smooth against her ears, making her shiver, "but I want to spend my life with you. You are by far the most challenging woman I've ever met, and I adore that and so much more about you. You are so strong, so brave and so willing to fight for what you believe is right..."

She met his gaze, her eyes swimming with awe and amazement. He pressed a small kiss to her nose, making her giggle at the affectionate action. She almost thought he didn't have it in him.

"Fumu," he said intensely, silver eyes darkening to an nearly hypnotizing purple, "I love you and I will do anything to win your hand, and your love."

She squealed and practically tackled him, peppering kisses all over his face.

"I love you too! I love you! I love you more than anything! You have no idea how long I've been hoping you'd say that to me!" She chattered excitedly, cupping his face into her palms and kissing anything she had access to. Meta Knight chuckled lowly, bringing his arms around her.

"You have no idea how happy you have made me Fumu." He pressed his forehead against hers, his hands coming up to frame her face. And again they kissed.

* * *

Orion found himself sulkily leaning against a wall in a deserted corner of the ballroom. He sighed, frowning at the ground as he begrudgingly reflected on the conversation he'd recently escaped. How was he supposed to know that the impudent servant knight of the idiot King Dedede his father had made so much fun about was the fame Sir Meta Knight?! The very man the prince was named after? Orion grit his teeth, feeling ashamed of himself. He should've seen the obvious signs. Blue hair, starry pupiless eyes the color of silver, gold flame sword. It all pointed toward a big flashy sign with SUPER EPIC STAR WARRIOR written in bold print. He sighed again.

"Are you alright Your Majesty?" Orion nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned and saw Captain Vee looking at him very worriedly. He cleared his throat.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. Was there something you needed Captain?" She shook her head, a soft smile replacing her worried frown. Some of the tightness in his chest eased at the sight and he found himself smiling too.

"No sir," she said with a graceful bow of her head.

"Hm..." They stood there in silence, both staring out onto the dance floor. Orion turned back to the guard thoughtfully. She had her eyes closed as if she were asleep, the warm glow from the lights highlighting her fine, thin features. No wonder Rona used her as a double. They almost looked exactly alike. He blinked. Personally, he thought the guard was prettier. His face warmed.

"You look nice," he blurted suddenly. She gazed back at him, her expression of surprise soon melting into a pink cheeked smile.

"Thank you, you're not so bad yourself," she replied. Orion bit his lip, feeling strangely bashful.

"Um...well, uh, w-would you like to...uh..." Honestly, he kinda wanted to slap himself right now. The captain looked at him confusedly.

"What is it sire?"

"Wouldyouliketodancewithme?" Orion said as quickly as he could. The guard seemed to catch on to what he was trying to say and began to laugh. The prince didn't know if he could feel any worse just then, before she took his hands with her own and said-

"I'd love to."

_Whew!_

* * *

Rona was struggling not to laugh as a red-face Bun accidentally stepped on her foot again.

"S-sorry," the kid stammered as his face turned even redder. Rona smiled sweetly.

"Don't be, you're still learning. Try to keep your eyes on mine and just let yourself sway to the music." He gulped.

"Jeez, all this romance and royalty," he muttered to himself, "It all just gets messed up." Rona laughed.

"Most of the time," she agreed, and their dance continued on.

* * *

**I AM SO SORRY...**

**I had already written the final chapter for this, but then I lost it. A thousand years later, I found it in my junk pile to clean it out and there it was! I must've accidentally clicked it while I was getting rid of already posted chapters for other stories. Man I'm so smart aren't I?**

**So this chappie was written way back when before I turned twelve...or something.**


End file.
